Method and apparatus for cartoning loose media

Abstract

A cartoning apparatus for loading loose media, such as spaghetti, vermicelli, or other loose, into a carton, wherein the apparatus is provided with bucket structures, platens, actuators, and a loading assembly which are all moved along parallel predetermined paths. The bucket structures include forward and rearward ends whereby the bucket structures may be translated such that the forward end may be disposed adjacent an aligned open carton, and the rearward end may receive loading assembly. Such rearward end is provided with a funnel structure which cooperates with a self-aligning pusher foot comprising part of the loading assembly to effectuate alignment and mating receipt of the pusher foot with a cavity defined by the bucket structure. The platen is preferably provided with indexing ears which are matingly received with corresponding indexing notches provided on the bucket structure for precisely positioning and holding of the platen in its proper position and orientation so that the media is maintained below a top surface of the carton.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. A cartoning apparatus for loading loose media into a carton, wherein said apparatus comprises: a bucket structure having forward and rearward ends and defining a cavity adapted to receive therein the loose media, said rearward end having at least certain diverging wall portions defining an outwardly-opening funnel-like structure;   an actuator for providing reciprocal motion; and   a loading member adapted to be matingly received into said cavity, and means for movably coupling said loading member to said actuator for at least limited lateral lost motion with respect thereto, whereby said loading member may cooperate with said funnel-like structure by following along the surface of at least one of said diverging wall portions and shifting into mating alignment with said cavity prior to passing longitudinally therethrough to thereby push said loose media out of said bucket structure and into an aligned carton.   
     
     
       2. The cartoning apparatus of claim 1 further including means for moving said bucket structure, said loading member, and said carton all along a predetermined path at the same effective rate and direction during said shifting of position by said loading member and said longitudinal passing thereof. 
     
     
       3. The cartoning apparatus of claim 1 further including means mounting said bucket structure for bidirectional longitudinal movement along an axis extending through said forward and rearward ends, and means for moving said bucket structure along said axis and toward said aligned carton in synchronism with the reciprocal motion of said loading member. 
     
     
       4. The cartoning apparatus of claim 1 further including: a platen and means for removably mounting same on said bucket structure in a position to overlie said cavity and thereby define a laterally-enclosed box-like construction which contains the loose media during the movement of said loading member such that the media is maintained within the cross-sectional silhouette of said carton whereby said media may be pushed into said carton without interference by the carton.   
     
     
       5. The cartoning apparatus of claim 4 further including means for moving said bucket structure, said platen, said loading member and said carton all along a predetermined path at the same effective rate and direction during the pushing operation of said loading member. 
     
     
       6. The cartoning apparatus of claim 4, further including means mounting said bucket structure for bidirectional longitudinal movement along an axis extending through said forward and rearward ends, and means for moving said bucket structure along said axis and toward said aligned carton in synchronism with the reciprocal motion of said loading member. 
     
     
       7. The cartoning apparatus of claim 5 further including means for coupling said platen to said means for moving wherein said coupling means includes a mounting member, a guide shaft, and first and second cooperating structures; said first cooperating structure being attached to said moving means to rotatingly support said guide shaft, whereby said shaft is held in a predetermined spacing from said moving means;   said second cooperating structure being pivotally attached to said moving means and fixedly connected to said guide shaft, whereby said guide shaft is rotated in a controlled predetermined manner; and   said mounting member being fixedly attached to said guide shaft and said platen, whereby said platen is lowered and swung into position on said bucket structure as said moving means moves said platen and said bucket structure along said path.   
     
     
       8. The cartoning apparatus of claim 4 in which said platen includes a plurality of projecting indexing portions and said bucket structure includes a plurality of corresponding indexing recesses to matingly receive therein said projecting portion and thereby precisely position said platen in predetermined position to confine said media to a specific cross-sectional area within said bucket structure. 
     
     
       9. The cartoning apparatus of claim 4 in which said funnel-like structure is formed by an outwardly tapering surface provided on said platen and on the peripheral walls of said bucket structure. 
     
     
       10. The cartoning apparatus of claim 9 in which said means for mounting said loading member includes: a connector fixedly attached to said actuator and having a defined height, width and depth;   a pair of mutually-aligned pin members carried on said connector and extending from opposing sides thereof; and   a pusher element movably coupled to said connector and having a rearwardly-opening recess with a defined height, width and depth which is larger than said height, width and depth of said connector, said recess being bounded by a pair of opposing walls each having an opening of greater transverse dimension than that of said pin members, said pin members being received within said openings whereby said connector is movably received within said recess and said pin members are loosely received within said openings such that said pusher element may be shifted in three directions to align and be matingly received within said cavity.   
     
     
       11. The cartoning apparatus of claim 10 in which said pusher element further includes an outer engagement plate adapted to contact and push against the loose media when it is moved into the aligned carton. 
     
     
       12. The cartoning apparatus of claim 11 further including means for moving said bucket structure, said platen, said loading member and said carton all along a predetermined path at the same effective rate and direction during the pushing operation of said loading member. 
     
     
       13. The cartoning apparatus of claim 12, further including means mounting said bucket structure for bidirectional longitudinal movement along an axis extending through said forward and rearward ends, and means for moving said bucket structure along said axis and toward said aligned carton in synchronism with the reciprocal motion of said loading member. 
     
     
       14. The cartoning apparatus of claim 12 further including means for coupling said platen to said means for moving wherein said coupling means includes a mounting member, a guide shaft, and first and second cooperating structures; said first cooperating structure being attached to said moving means to rotatingly support said guide shaft, whereby said shaft is held in a predetermined spacing from said moving means;   said second structure being pivotally attached to said moving means and fixedly connected to said guide shaft, whereby said guide shaft is rotated in a controlled predetermined manner; and   said mounting member is fixedly attached to said guide shaft and said platen, whereby said platen is lowered and swung into position on said bucket structure as said moving means moves said platen and said bucket structure along said path.   
     
     
       15. The cartoning apparatus of claim 1 in which said means for mounting said loading member includes: a connector fixedly attached to said actuator and having a defined height, width and depth;   a pair of mutually-aligned pin members carried on said connector and extending from opposing sides thereof; and   a pusher element movably coupled to said connector and having a rearwardly-opening recess with a defined height, width and depth which is larger than said height, width and depth of said connector, said recess being bounded by a pair of opposing walls each having an opening of greater transverse dimension than that of said pin members, said pin members being received within said openings whereby said connector is movably received within said recess and said pin members are loosely received within said openings such that said pusher element may be shifted in three directions to align and be matingly received within said cavity.   
     
     
       16. The cartoning apparatus of claim 1 further including a slot provided in said bucket structure, a partition member receivable within said slot, and means for removably and so positioning said partition member across said cavity when said loose media is fed into said cavity, whereby said partition acts as a barrier during such feeding of media. 
     
     
       17. A method of loading loose media into a carton, comprising the steps: providing a bucket structure having a cavity and forward and rearward ends, said rearward end having at least certain tapering wall surfaces defining an outwardly-diverging opening;   providing an actuator and a loading member whose cross-sectional size and shape closely approaches that of said cavity, said loading member being movably mounted to said actuator;   feeding said loose media into said bucket structure;   moving said loading member by said actuator toward said outwardly-diverging end opening of said bucket structure and along at least one of said wall surfaces such that said loading member follows said surfaces and is shifted thereby into alignment with said cavity, to be closely received therein; and   passing said loading member through said cavity to push said media out of said bucket structure and into an aligned carton.   
     
     
       18. The method of claim 17 and including the steps of providing a movable partition member for said bucket structure and adapting such partition member and bucket structure such that the partition member is removably received across the width of said bucket structure cavity; placing said partition member across said bucket structure cavity before said media is fed into said bucket structure;   feeding said media into said bucket structure cavity such that it substantially engages and is aligned along said partition member; and   removing said partition member from said bucket structure before said loading member is passed therethrough to load said media into an aligned carton.   
     
     
       19. The method of claim 17, and including the steps: providing a bucket structure which is bidirectionally movable longitudinally between said loading member and said aligned carton, and moving said bucket structure toward said aligned carton in synchronism with the moving of said loading member by said actuator.   
     
     
       20. The method of claim 19, and including the steps: providing a platen for closing said cavity from the top, and placing said platen on said bucket structure after said media has been fed into said cavity to thereby confine said media within said cavity; and   moving said loading member toward said bucket member and through said cavity to push said media out of said bucket structure and into the aligned carton.   
     
     
       21. The method of claim 20 and including the steps of providing a movable partition member for said bucket structure and adapting such partition member and bucket structure such that the partition member is removably received across the width of said bucket structure cavity. 
     
     
       22. The method of claim 21 in which said platen is indexed in a predetermined position on said bucket structure when it is placed thereon, such that said platen maintains said media within a predetermined cross-sectional area within said bucket structure cavity.